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在线翻译:
szdaily -> In depth -> 
China pours cold water on Ice Bucket Challenge
    2014-08-26  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

    THE Ice Bucket Challenge — a campaign to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — has gone viral among China’s celebrities, from tech executives to movie stars.

    As of Friday, the campaign had raised more than 8.5 million yuan (US$1.38 million) for China-Dolls Center for Rare Disorders (CCRD), a nonprofit organization in China. The organization only received 2 million yuan in 2013.

    The campaign, which was initiated in the United States as a way to raise funds to combat ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, asks people to either drench themselves with ice water or donate to the ALS foundation, or both. It has brought unprecedented attention to the disease.

    Zhang Haoyu, a CCRD staff member, said that their followers on Sina Weibo, a Twitter-like platform, have increased more than 100 fold since the campaign began.

    The campaign is spreading in China, but not without controversy.

    The country’s Ministry of Civil Affairs has praised the ice bucket challenge for gaining positive momentum. Still, the ministry is warning people through its Sino Weibo microblogging account to be pragmatic and avoid the challenge’s “entertainment and commercial tendencies.”

    A dozen farmers in Central China’s Henan Province, which is suffering a severe drought, protested against the challenge, accusing the campaign of wasting valuable water resources, but the stunt was later revealed to be a promotion for a local scenic spot.

    Some people argue that although CCRD, a reputable charity, is raising money, the donations still are not enough to make any real difference considering the high cost and length of time it takes to develop effective drugs. Others contend that the event is merely another opportunity for celebrities to show off.

    Chinese tycoon Chen Guangbiao, who once attempted to buy the New York Times and is known for his extravagant and eyebrow-raising charity efforts, has also gotten involved. He went one step further by posting photos of himself submerged in a recycling bin full of ice water and lying on a slab of ice. Chen said he would donate 1 million yuan for anyone who could sit in ice water, as he did, for longer than 30 minutes.

    Also in Hunan, a helicopter dumped ice water onto a man who has since been accused of being nothing more than a self-publicist.

    Chinese media have also questioned the safety of the challenge. One Sina video report, for example, cited scientists saying that cold water can damage blood vessels in the head and ice cubes can hurt the vertebrate. It concluded that some people in fragile health might want to donate money instead.

    A Xinhua report warns that in an age of viral Internet events capturing people’s attention (and money), there may be plenty more such escapades in the future that do not bring much help to those they claim to benefit.

    “We should not forget what the campaign was started for. Those patients need more money and care, but can a viral event truly help them?” said netizen “bushizidefanshuzhe” on Sina Weibo. (SD-Agencies)

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